A fairly common situation is when, during a conversation on a mobile phone, one of the interlocutors cannot hear the other, which makes both parties nervous, especially if important information needs to be communicated.
When faced with a similar problem, many people write off their gadget and think about buying a new one, but this is a mistaken action. Basically, when you can’t hear your interlocutor on the phone, it’s not difficult to fix the problem; it all depends on the source of the problem. What methods to use will be discussed in this article.
To diagnose yourself, take the test. The virtual assistant will identify the problem and tell you what to do.
Have you covered the proximity sensor with your finger?
Right! Not true!
In modern smartphones, especially in the entry-level price category, the proximity sensor may sometimes not work or malfunction, causing a lot of inconvenience.
We continue diagnostics >>
Did you turn up the volume?
Right! Not true!
If turning up the volume does not solve the problem, click the “Continue diagnostics” button.
We continue diagnostics >>
When they call you back, can you hear your interlocutor better?
Right! Not true!
If it doesn’t help, we continue the diagnosis.
We continue diagnostics >>
Did you clean the speaker with a cotton swab soaked in alcohol?
Right! Not true!
If it doesn’t help, click the “Continue diagnostics” button.
We continue diagnostics >>
The network may be overloaded, wait 15 to 30 minutes.
Right! Not true!
If it doesn’t help, click the “Continue diagnostics” button.
We continue diagnostics >>
Has the phone been dropped or repaired?
Right! Not true!
If dropped or repaired, the board responsible for playing sounds may be damaged.
If it didn’t crash, click the “Continue diagnostics” button.
We continue diagnostics >>
Can't hear the other person
It's time for repairs, the problem is clearly not in the software part, you can't fix it with your own hands.
Start again!
What to try first
Cover the proximity sensor with your finger
When you are using a touchscreen mobile phone and cannot hear the other person, the problem may be that your ear is unintentionally muting the microphone. In modern smartphones, especially in the entry-level price category, the proximity sensor may sometimes not work or malfunction, causing a lot of inconvenience.
During a conversation, try simply placing your hand on the proximity sensor (close the entire front camera block) and tap on the microphone icon.
Turn up the volume
The simplest method is to try to increase the sound level using hardware keys located on the body of the gadget. Only then move on to other options.
The network is overloaded
This often happens due to network outages, for example, due to bad weather conditions or other radio interference. Call technical service. support from your operator to ask why cellular service is so poor in your location. If the consultant says that this problem does not come from them, then try removing the SIM card, and then reinserting it and repeat the call.
Ask to call back
If you still can’t hear the caller, there is another way to restore sound - it is necessary for your interlocutor to call himself, and for you to pick up the phone. This may work if the reason lies not in mechanical, but in software damage.
Sometimes you can simply not see and turn off the microphone during a call. This is especially true for modern Android and iOS devices. We turn the microphone back on and in 90% of cases this will correct the situation. If this does not help, then you need to reboot the device and make the call again.
Clean the speaker
An extreme option, but sometimes it works. Take a cotton swab moistened with alcohol and gently wipe the speaker of your smartphone. Thus, accumulated dust and dirt will fall out of the sound slots.
technical issues
All the above tips do not always help, since the reason for the lack of volume may be mechanical in nature. We list the damage that causes the microphone to stop working:
- Inside the speaker there is a magnetic coil, the turns of which are connected to contacts on the board. One of these turns may break, leading to failure of the part.
- There are phone models where the speaker is connected to the board via a cable. Such a wire can simply break or come off the connector.
- It is possible that the track on the microcircuit, which is responsible for supplying power to the microphone and speaker, may be erased.
- To convert and transmit sounds, a special microcircuit is provided in the design of the device; it can also burn out or be mechanically damaged after a strong impact.
- The volume button also does not last forever and often breaks when the sound is turned off.
It is possible to carry out independent repairs of such elements, but only if you have the appropriate knowledge. In other situations, it is better to take mobile phones to a service center to restore the functionality of the microphone.
Factory reset
If you have done the manipulations that were noted earlier, but you are still unable to hear your interlocutor on the phone, you can return the cell phone to the factory settings, since the software can sometimes fail. This procedure is performed using the “Settings” menu in the “Backup and reset” tab. Depending on the modification and brand of the telephone, this item may be called differently. After going to the “Restore and reset” item, click “Reset to factory settings”.
We would like to warn you that if your smartphone contains any significant information, photographs, audio recordings or video material, first transfer everything you need to an external drive. Thus, after resetting the settings, you can easily return all content to the device and continue to use it.
The bad news is that if this does not help, then you will need Android firmware for the device, which is described below.
Important! Don’t forget your accounts (Google, Viber, Skype, mail, etc.), after the reset they will also be deleted, so remember and write down all logins and passwords for them in advance.
Serious reasons
An even more radical method of restoring the audibility of the speakers is to flash the gadget, because problems can begin due to a software failure of the OS. To perform such an operation, there are many sites where you yourself can find instructions and the necessary utilities for your smartphone model.
True, it is important to understand the intricacies of computer wisdom at least at an intermediate level. Otherwise, almost any cell phone repair service specialist will be able to fix this problem. Bring your gadget and say: “During a conversation, I can hear perfectly well, but I can’t.” Then the technician will know where to start diagnosing.
Ask a question to a virtual expert
If you still have questions, ask them to a virtual expert, the bot will help you find the problem and tell you what to do. You can talk to him about life or just chat, it will be interesting and informative!
Type your question in the field and press Enter or Submit.
Conclusion
First of all, you need to correctly and as accurately as possible determine the cause of the malfunction, using all the methods from this article. Since in most cases you can return your phone to full functionality without much effort. If the device is under warranty, then don’t bother, but immediately take it to the service center.
Video
Another problem that a phone can “delight” its user with is the complete or partial lack of audibility during a conversation. How can you communicate with your interlocutor if he cannot hear you or you are disturbed by noise and interference? This means it’s time to take the “culprit” of the trouble to the service center.
Why can't the subscriber hear you?
- Microphone problems
This is the most basic reason for the lack of audibility. A detailed diagnosis can reveal the following:- The microphone doesn't work at all.
Most often this happens due to a clogged audio channel in the phone case. During operation, dust, dirt, and various debris become clogged with it. Cleaning the sound duct will help restore the “talkative” nature of the microphone. Similar shortcomings are most often found in folding phones. For such models, the sound guide channel is located in one of the rubber shock absorbers at the bottom of the tube. They are designed to protect the display from scratching on the keyboard and soften the impact when closing the device. Over time, the shock absorber material softens and becomes sticky. As a result, under the influence of the phone cover, they are flattened, leading to complete sticking of the sound guide. Cleaning the sound duct holes brings only temporary results. To solve the problem, you need to replace the shock absorber plugs with new ones. - Microphone circuit oxidation.
Places of oxidation can be observed both directly near the microphone and in the system connector into which the headset is connected. Even small oxidations are enough for the microphone to malfunction. To return the microphone to functionality, it is necessary to clean up the oxidation. But, if water gets directly into the microphone, it will have to be replaced. As a result of exposure to moisture on the microphone circuit trim elements, the normal operation of the microphone is disrupted. Most often this applies to zener diodes and varistors. Sometimes replacing them and cleaning the oxides is enough to restore the microphone to functionality. Oxides are often hidden under EMIF filters, which quickly degrade and fail when exposed to moisture. In such a situation, the service center will replace the EMI filter.Sometimes the phone indicates a connected headset when it is not connected. This indicates that not only the microphone is not working, but also the speaker. The problem is caused by oxidation resulting from moisture getting under the EMIF filter, into the system connector or on the headset connection identification circuit. Also, the reason may lie in an open identification circuit due to a violation of the BGA soldering of the controller/processor.
- The microphone is very quiet.
Most often, the problem lies in a faulty microphone, although it may also be due to the reasons stated above. - The background is heard along with the voice(usually GSM - pointing).
A faulty microphone is to blame. Although the problem can also be caused by a break in one of its circuits. The service center replaces the microphone with a new one, and also checks and restores the microphone signal circuits.
- The microphone doesn't work at all.
- Faulty cable
This problem is typical for models with an active flip (folding design). The microphone cable, which is the transition part between the phone and the flip, can be damaged due to frequent opening/closing or as a result of a fall. - Software failure
- Audio jack failure
The service center will quickly and efficiently fix the problem at an affordable price.
It's no secret to many that Skype is one of the most popular communication tools on computers and laptops. Millions of people communicate with each other every minute using this program. But unfortunately, not everyone’s communication is problem-free. There are actually a lot of questions, and one of them is when you hear your interlocutor during a video or audio call, but he doesn’t hear you.
In this article we will try to help you solve this problem.
Why might you not be heard on Skype?
Almost every Skype user knows that a conversation over the Internet is possible thanks to the microphone built into the laptop or connected webcam. If you can hear your interlocutor, this means that on his part everything is in order with the microphone. It works and is configured correctly.
And if they can’t hear you, then most likely your microphone is missing/faulty or not configured correctly. Therefore, your voice is not transmitted to the interlocutor.
What to do?
The first thing you need to do is go to the Skype settings and select to transmit your voice, and then check it.
To do this, in the left corner of the main Skype window, you need to click on the three horizontal dots opposite your name and select “Settings” in the menu that opens.
Selecting a microphone in Skype
Here, in the very first line opposite the word “Microphone”, you need to click on the arrow and try to select another microphone from the list that opens.
After that, just above, click on “Make a free trial call.” A standard sound check will start, where you will be asked to say a few words. Then your phrase will be played back and if you hear it, then the microphone is configured correctly.
If you did not hear what you said, then you need to select another microphone from the list next to the word “Microphone” and repeat the test call until you hear yourself.
What if all else fails?
In this case, you can try connecting the webcam to another USB connector, preferably on the rear panel of the system unit. If you have a laptop, then try updating the drivers for the webcam by downloading them from the official website of your laptop manufacturer.
The last option is to buy a new web camera, fortunately they are not expensive at all now, connect it to the USB port of your PC or laptop, then go to the Skype audio settings according to the instructions above and select the microphone of the new web camera from the list.
